Meeting in the Moonlight

II (Part 2)

The meal, as predicted, equally was lavish and rich as the hosts, and clearly very costly. A whole roasted pig, several roasted chickens, and some of the most tender stake Elijah had ever eaten – there were even roasted sparrows – were all spread out along the ornately decorated tables. There had been so much food he suspected the kitchen staff had been preparing all week and would most likely be dealing with the leftovers for the rest of the weekend.

Their dinner companions, though not bad company, had not inspired any further conversation than the customary introductions used in polite society. He was thankful, however, to have gotten away, if only for a short while, from Sir Stevens and his friends who were sat at the other end of the table. Instead, he was sat with his sister (opposite and to his left), and several other figures he had not yet been introduced to: to his direct left sat a young man by the name of Lord Stoker, who was more engaged with those sat to his left than their company; to his right sat the eldest son of the previously mentioned Lord Campbell, Lord Michael Campbell; opposite and to the right sat the Lady Katrina, who he had decided was almost quite as talkative as his sister; and directly opposite was Lady Emmeline Campbell, who was at present engaged in conversation with Mina. She seemed somewhat silent and withdrawn to him, but she had clearly made an impression on his sister, and he suspected she was already forming an attachment to the gentlewoman. It would do Mina some good, he thought, to have a respectable role model to help her navigate London society; she could have made worse friends.

Mina was just about finished telling Lady Emmeline their life story when she forced him into the conversation.

"It is the first time I have been to London, and the society here is much more varied and agreeable I find than at home. Eli did not want to come to Town. I persuaded him, however."

"You begged me to." Their company were surprised by his sudden speech; he had been silent for most of the evening and didn't pay attention to those conversations they attempted to involve him in.

The ladies glanced at him from across the table.

"Yes, alright, fine. I begged you to. You can hardly expect me to be content with the marriage prospects at home!"

"You are still young." Edwards didn't bother looking up at her, they had already had this same argument many times before he finally conceded to let her come to London. He had expected Mina to respond with the usual, "Miss Jones went to Town, and she is eighteen or there are plenty of other younger women already married".

"I agree." He hadn't expected that. In truth, he wasn't sure if he had really heard her say something. He glanced towards Lady Emmeline who was visibly as shocked at her own words as he was. Her eyes shifted nervously from her brother to the tablecloth. However, he did not know what to think of her. He had met women before who spoke out in an attempt to impress men (another reason to avoid London society), but her reaction afterwards told him that that might not be the case.

"Oh really." He decided to test her.

"Y-yes." Lady Emmeline paused briefly before meeting his stare. There was a fierceness in her eyes, he noticed, an admirable quality in a gentlewoman who was simultaneously turning a very bright shade of pink from her own embarrassment. Quite a juxtaposition indeed. "In truth, I do not know why women are pushed to marry so young."

She was sincere, he noticed. She was a peculiar enigma to him, the contradiction of outspokenness and the silent etiquette of polite society.

"You do?" The room had become quiet now, the others at the table watching to see what she would say.

"Yes. I do." She didn't back away, "Why we are pushed into society little passed the age of children and expected to find a suitable match for the rest of our lives I do not understand."